Holder and adjuster for casket-handles



(No Model.)

E. A. YOOUM.

HOLDER AND ADJUSTER FOR GASKET HANDLES.

No; 588,209. Patented Aug. 17, 1897.

mehiiw' 12mm? yocum/ UNiTED STATES PATENT- FFicE.

ELRA A. YOCUM, OF MENDON, OHIO.

HOLD ER AND ADJUSTER FOR CASKET-HANDLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,2O9, dated August 17, 1897.

I Application filed Septemb r 14:, 1896- Serial No. 605,757. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, ELRA A. YOCUM,'a citizen of the United States, residing at Mendon, in the county of Mercer and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Holders and Adjusters for Casket-Handles, of which the following is a specification. I

My present invention relates to a new and useful improvement in holders and adjusters for casket-handles, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly cheap, simple, and effective device for the attachment of handles to caskets, coffins, and the like in such manthe bottom edge of said casket.

With these ends in View this inventionconsists in the details of construction and com bination of elements hereinafter set forth, and then specifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the sa1ne,its construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a section of a portion of the casket, showing the method of applying a handle thereto by the use of my improvement; and Fig. 2, a perspective of the holder and adjuster when not in use.

In carrying out my invention as here shown I provide a gage-plate A, through which is.

passed a set-screwB, the latter being swiveled within said plate, so as to prevent its withdrawal therefrom, yet permitting the free revolving thereof. 'A block 0 is pivoted between the ears D, which latter are formed upon the lug E, projecting upward from the outer edge of the gage-plate. The rod or standard F is fitted within a hole formed in the block, soa's to be adjusted therein, and this rod maybe held in any adjustment by the set-screw G, as will be readily understood. Uponthe upper end of this rod is supported a clamp-jaw H, having its inner end bifurcated, and these members are concaved, as indicated at I, for the purpose of fitting and retaining the inserted handle to be applied. The ears J are formed upon the central port-ion of the clamp-jaw H and have pivoted therebetween the swinging clam p-jaw K. This latter jaw extends forward and is concaved upon the under side of its outer end, as indicated at L, for the purpose of retaining the caskethandle within the concave portions of the lower jaw, as will be hereinafter set forth. A spring M is arranged about the pintle N, by which the jaws are pivoted together, and the outer ends of this spring hear one against the upper jaw and the other against the lower jaw, so as to force the heel ends apart, thereby forcing their inner ends toward each other. The heel ends of thejaws serve as handles by which the noses of the latter may be forced apart against the action of the spring when it is desired to grasp or release'the handle-bar.

From this description the operation of my present improvement will be obviously as follows:- When it is desired to secure a handlebarto a casket, the gage-plate of the holder is secured to the under side of the casket, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, by the insertion of the screw B therein, after which the handle to be attached is placed within concaves of the jaws, where it will be retained by the action of the spring, so that it is then only necessary to insert the usual screws for the attachment of the handle-bar. When the handle-bar to 'be attached is of considerable length, as is usually' the case, two of the holders are utilized at the same time,'one serving to hold one end of the handle-bar, while the other holds the opposite end. From this it will be seen that after the handle bar or bars have been attached to one side of the casket those of the opposite side may be quickly attached at the same height from the lower edge of the casket as those first at of labor and time over the old method, while at the same time greater precision and accuracy are secured.

It is to be noted that the rod F may be adjusted vertically, thereby adapting the holder for use in attaching handles to any size casket or other cabinet-work, the only requirementbeing that this rod be of sufiicientlength to take in the range of work. After the handle-bar has been attached by my improvement the holder is quickly removed by forcing the jaws apart and releasing their hold upon the handle-bar, after which the set-screw B is so manipulated as to withdraw it from the bottom of the casket, thus permitting the detachment of the holder.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is In a device of the character described, a plate adapted to fit against the bottom of a casket, a thumb-screw swiveled in said plate, a lug extending upward at right angles from the outer edge of the plate adapted to fit against the edge of a casket, ears projecting outward from the lug, a block pivoted between said cars, a rod run vertically through said block and extending upward from the plate, a thumb-screw threaded in the block for adjusting the rod, the upper end of said rod being threaded, a clamp, the lower member of said clamp having a threaded socket in which the rod is adapted to fit substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELRA A. YOOUM. Witnesses:

S. WILLIAMsON, J. B. MAURER. 

